Question One
The idea of moving Doc Martens manufacturing to china was wise as regards availability of cheaper labor and thus reduced manufacturing costs. However, it is not advisable to market the shoes directly to Chinese shoppers. The move will seriously affect the company’s brand. Doc Martens as a brand boasts of an exclusive western heritage. It follows that the only viable method of maintaining the status quo is by keeping the marketing and sales activities in the UK (Czinkota, R. M., and Ronkainen, A. I. 2007, 76).
The fact that the distribution channel goes through UK guarantees the quality of products. The initiative ensures that experts in the UK have a decent chance of checking the quality of the products. Perception plays a vital role in this case because it is much more profitable to establish a quality assurance department in China. Direct distribution is highly likely to lower the product’s proportion value leading to unwarranted demand for a cheap product thus compromising the brand’s individualistic and exclusive status.
Question Two
Doc Martens like any other successful company aims to increase its sales. An increased number of customers translate into an increase in sales. To attract more customers the company could initiate an online design competition of any of their products including shoes, clothing and accessories among others (Dr. AirWair Martens, 2011, 1). This move gives participants an opportunity to showcase their own designs. There should be no restrictions such that designers are free to showcase their unique and varied individualistic designs. At the end of the day, the general public should be allowed to vote for their preferred designs. In all fairness, the company should produce winning design in a bid to recognize the designer’s hard work, creativity and originality. This should be on a limited edition basis. The idea behind producing few units ensures that the exclusivity of the product is maintained (Mooji, M. 2009, 98). As a result, many people will be compelled to participate either by designing or voting for the best designs.
Another method that can attract online customers is by posting commercials about the company’s products online. Various related videos can be uploaded on youtube such that those with the highest number of hits get to win the competition. This will work to create global awareness about what Doc Marten has to offer. The winning videos could also be featured in the company’s official website thus creating even more awareness.
Doc Martens has an option of allowing people to host their blogs on the company’s official website. The blogs provide forums through which bloggers and people in general can converse about the various products produced by Doc Martens.
Lastly, online customers should be allowed to create their personal accounts on the website. Customers feel like part of the company by virtue of having a separate account.
Question Three
The fact that Doc Martens products are highly individualized as regards the high quality means that consumers across the globe are strongly attached to the brand image. The development to move …